Pre-Participation Physicals: Hop Testing

As we continue to develop our comprehensive approach to Pre-Participation Physicals; & Return to Sport(RTS) Testing more on RTS to come; Hop Testing is our focus today.Let's start with LSI.

Limb Symmetry Index: The LSI provides a ratio comparing the performance between 2 lower extremities of the same individual; this is clinically useful in determining lower extremity asymmetry.J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2001;3 1:145-151.

If you are not familiar with Hop Testing I will cover the basics and here are a few articles to help get you started: Interrater Reliability of Functional Performance Test for Subjects With Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome ; &  Hop Testing Provides a Reliable and Valid Outcome Measure During Rehabilitation After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction 

Hop Testing has been in the research literature for some time and performance described in term of limb symmetry. An article from 1990 : describes the testing method and begins to define normative measure for individuals who were ACL deficient  and compare them to a healthy population. We administer the Hop Test by comparing single limb performance, Right versus Left, of one individual in a Single Hop for distance, Triple Hop for distance, Triple Crossover Hop for distance and a Timed Hop (covering 6 meters). We then use the LSI we discussed above to give us a better picture of that individuals performance, Right versus Left lower extremity. After completion of the Hop Test, & other objective measures we have been discussing, we enter the data into Move2Perform in order to compare them against their peers. When making PPE and RTS recommendations we must consider the peer group. What is a persons peer group you ask:An individuals Age, Gender, Sport & Competition Level are all parts that make up a peer group. From many other studies, many using the SEBT, we know that athletes of different ages, genders, sports and competition levels perform differently.

A few recent articles go further than the early studies to suggest that 85% and even 90% LSI may not be stringent enough criteria when determining an individuals readiness to return to activity.

Myer et. al. & Grindem et. al. 

Hop testing is another great objective measure to include in your screening and testing of athletes and individuals prior to beginning or returning to activity and sport. Later we will discuss why we utilize many different tests and measures in musculoskeletal screening.